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<blockquote data-quote="projectdaedalus" data-source="post: 653942" data-attributes="member: 8846">&quot;It has been far too long,&quot; the lanky female figure remarked with some unusual warmth.&nbsp; She hugged the man in black robes, and managed to scan the large chamber at the same time.&nbsp; The embrace ended.&quot;So,&quot; she began.&nbsp; &quot;I trust that all is well?&quot;The man seemed skeptical.&nbsp; She was, after all, not normally given to such displays of affection.&nbsp; &quot;What has gotten into you, m'lady?&quot;A liquid laugh echoed through the hall, awakening those nearby.&nbsp; Finding humor was also not one of the lady's normal attributes.&nbsp; &quot;I am allowed to revel in human behavior every once in a while, aren't I?&quot;She sat down, her black trenchcoat still sashed at the waist.&nbsp; There was a sickly smile on her face, one that might almost make one believe she was capable of human acts.&quot;Why are you here?&quot; the man asked, his curiosity peaked at his lady's newfound attitude.&nbsp; &quot;I know we haven't kept in contact much, but --&quot;&quot;I am not here to check up on you,&quot; she interrupted.&nbsp; &quot;This is a social call.&quot;That's what I'm afraid of, he thought.&nbsp; &quot;If this is a social call, m'lady,&quot; he replied, &quot;what is the occasion?&quot;She cocked a smile.&nbsp; &quot;You get right to the point, don't you, Agrias?&quot;&nbsp; She brushed the snow still remaining on her left pantleg.&nbsp; &quot;I have need of your services.&nbsp; Specifically, I have need of some of your agents in America.&nbsp; I need to find something, and I need it soon.&quot;In the atrium and the very back of the hall, small, misshapen humanoids gathered, and an almost chirping sound could be heard emanating from their masses.&quot;Can I trust you to keep a secret, Agrias?&quot; she asked.&quot;Of course,&quot; he responded.&nbsp; &quot;I am here but to serve.&quot;&quot;Kangus is back,&quot; she stated.&nbsp; &quot;Well, not really, of course, but he has made his presence felt.&nbsp; The Legion has returned, perhaps stronger than before.&quot;Agrias blanched a bit at this news.&nbsp; &quot;I had no idea,&quot; he remarked.&quot;Of course not,&quot; she replied.&nbsp; &quot;I found out only two days ago myself, and you know that I am always on top of these things.&quot;She stood from her chair and walked halfway across the stage toward the unused altar.&nbsp; This had been a cathedral at one time, though with the building of a more modern facility in nearby Mont St. Michel, it was now abandoned to other uses.&nbsp; Now, Agrias the Black used it as his personal abode, along with his horde of Scatterlings.&quot;They said nothing to me,&quot; she began, &quot;although, to be quite honest, I had a feeling their quest in Arcadia would be a foolhardy one.&nbsp; Avin Dromdel be damned, but he is resilient, and resourceful for such a do-gooder.&quot;Agrias walked closer to her, but kept a safe distance.&nbsp; She seemed agitated, and it was best to keep a cushion of at least a pace or two between them.&nbsp; &quot;I'm afraid I don't understand.&quot;She turned, her countenance fallen from affectionate to mournful.&nbsp; &quot;Dromdel and his accursed soldiers found the Phylactery and the Codex before our allies could get to the Pyramid.&nbsp; Surely, you know of the object of Kangus' quest.&quot;&quot;I had heard only rumors,&quot; he answered, unsure of where she was going with this conversation, and what it had to do with him.&quot;None of this really concerns you, I suppose,&quot; she said after some consideration.&nbsp; &quot;It's best that I get to the point.&nbsp; You heard that Naercis had lost his precious book?&quot;&quot;Just as they were to go to Arcadia, and they were attacked by those Templars, right?&quot;She walked to the center of the stage, then turned toward Agrias.&nbsp; &quot;My master wants the Black Tome,&quot; she stated.&nbsp; &quot;I am too busy to travel to America and retrieve it, but I know that you have agents there who could do it for me.&quot;He considered what his options might be.&nbsp; His agents were, after all, barely competent at gathering information, especially if they missed the Legion's return to Earth.&nbsp; It would be dangerous to send them on a mission of this importance.&nbsp; But it would be more dangerous to cross the Inner Circle.&nbsp; He might find himself chained to a rock in Tarterus.&quot;Do you have any clues for me to follow?&quot; he asked.&nbsp; Agrias knew that he could stall indefinitely if he had nothing to go on.&quot;I know that the Templar who had the Black Tome in his possession was tempted to open the book, and was subsequently corrupted.&nbsp; This happened not long after the Legion left for Arcadia.&nbsp; The Templar got rid of the book, fearing its power, and it fell into the hands of an American named Algie Marcos.&nbsp; This person lives in the city of Chicago.&nbsp; You might start your search there.&quot;&quot;I will do this for you,&quot; Agrias replied, &quot;but I will hold a favor in return.&quot;&quot;Of course,&quot; the lady replied, her face once again livened with a smile.&nbsp; &quot;I must go now, and take heed -- there are forces in America who also seek this Black Tome.&nbsp; They are resourceful, and will stop at nothing to gain its power.&quot;Without missing a step, the lady in the black trenchcoat descended from the stage onto the main floor of the cathedral, and sauntered past the Scatterlings, who gave her a wide berth as she exited the building.What have I gotten myself into? Agrias wondered.It would be quite a long time before he got an answer to that question.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="projectdaedalus, post: 653942, member: 8846"] "It has been far too long," the lanky female figure remarked with some unusual warmth. She hugged the man in black robes, and managed to scan the large chamber at the same time. The embrace ended. "So," she began. "I trust that all is well?" The man seemed skeptical. She was, after all, not normally given to such displays of affection. "What has gotten into you, m'lady?" A liquid laugh echoed through the hall, awakening those nearby. Finding humor was also not one of the lady's normal attributes. "I am allowed to revel in human behavior every once in a while, aren't I?" She sat down, her black trenchcoat still sashed at the waist. There was a sickly smile on her face, one that might almost make one believe she was capable of human acts. "Why are you here?" the man asked, his curiosity peaked at his lady's newfound attitude. "I know we haven't kept in contact much, but --" "I am not here to check up on you," she interrupted. "This is a social call." [I]That's what I'm afraid of,[/I] he thought. "If this is a social call, m'lady," he replied, "what is the occasion?" She cocked a smile. "You get right to the point, don't you, Agrias?" She brushed the snow still remaining on her left pantleg. "I have need of your services. Specifically, I have need of some of your agents in America. I need to find something, and I need it soon." In the atrium and the very back of the hall, small, misshapen humanoids gathered, and an almost chirping sound could be heard emanating from their masses. "Can I trust you to keep a secret, Agrias?" she asked. "Of course," he responded. "I am here but to serve." "Kangus is back," she stated. "Well, not really, of course, but he has made his presence felt. The Legion has returned, perhaps stronger than before." Agrias blanched a bit at this news. "I had no idea," he remarked. "Of course not," she replied. "I found out only two days ago myself, and you know that I am always on top of these things." She stood from her chair and walked halfway across the stage toward the unused altar. This had been a cathedral at one time, though with the building of a more modern facility in nearby Mont St. Michel, it was now abandoned to [I]other[/I] uses. Now, Agrias the Black used it as his personal abode, along with his horde of Scatterlings. "They said nothing to me," she began, "although, to be quite honest, I had a feeling their quest in Arcadia would be a foolhardy one. Avin Dromdel be damned, but he is resilient, and resourceful for such a do-gooder." Agrias walked closer to her, but kept a safe distance. She seemed agitated, and it was best to keep a cushion of at least a pace or two between them. "I'm afraid I don't understand." She turned, her countenance fallen from affectionate to mournful. "Dromdel and his accursed soldiers found the Phylactery and the Codex before our allies could get to the Pyramid. Surely, you know of the object of Kangus' quest." "I had heard only rumors," he answered, unsure of where she was going with this conversation, and what it had to do with him. "None of this really concerns you, I suppose," she said after some consideration. "It's best that I get to the point. You heard that Naercis had lost his precious book?" "Just as they were to go to Arcadia, and they were attacked by those Templars, right?" She walked to the center of the stage, then turned toward Agrias. "My master wants the Black Tome," she stated. "I am too busy to travel to America and retrieve it, but I know that you have agents there who could do it for me." He considered what his options might be. His agents were, after all, barely competent at gathering information, especially if they missed the Legion's return to Earth. It would be dangerous to send them on a mission of this importance. But it would be more dangerous to cross the Inner Circle. He might find himself chained to a rock in Tarterus. "Do you have any clues for me to follow?" he asked. Agrias knew that he could stall indefinitely if he had nothing to go on. "I know that the Templar who had the Black Tome in his possession was tempted to open the book, and was subsequently corrupted. This happened not long after the Legion left for Arcadia. The Templar got rid of the book, fearing its power, and it fell into the hands of an American named Algie Marcos. This person lives in the city of Chicago. You might start your search there." "I will do this for you," Agrias replied, "but I will hold a favor in return." "Of course," the lady replied, her face once again livened with a smile. "I must go now, and take heed -- there are forces in America who also seek this Black Tome. They are resourceful, and will stop at nothing to gain its power." Without missing a step, the lady in the black trenchcoat descended from the stage onto the main floor of the cathedral, and sauntered past the Scatterlings, who gave her a wide berth as she exited the building. [I]What have I gotten myself into?[/I] Agrias wondered. It would be quite a long time before he got an answer to that question. [/QUOTE]

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